Synopsis of the Major Arcana: understanding the structure

Overview of the Major Arcana from a psychological perspective.

** Only read this if you want the bare bones, coles notes version. This is not an explanation, it's a description of how it works. Theory and discussion of each section can be found under the appropriate heading.

Element: Spirit

Here's my rant about the MA. First of all, of all the suits, the Major Arcana is the only one that has an unusual number of cards: 22 to be exact. Where the four suits are similar to a regular deck of cards, with 12 cards each suddenly there is this bizarre addition to the deck. Why 22?

There's a wild story here, rife with archetypes and myths... and if you are trying to get a handle on the Tarot for the first time, not always an easy one.

Here's my perspective on the Major Arcana... while each of the minor suits deal with a path, and choice of steps in life, the MA talks about the spiritual experience, and it contains all of the elements related to personal growth, and our own energetic bodies.

If you examine the cards carefully, you will find that there are significant cards which seem to carry the same themes from a different perspective.

Also, take note that while the Kaballah teaches the path to enlightenment using the cards of the major arcana, if you consider that the MA is a spirit deck, then why in the world does it have to be a linear experience? I propose that there are many things happening to us at once, many of which we are unaware. The MA maps out possiblities for us to help our journey.

What I am about to attempt to do is describe an intensive study of the tarot into brief understandable segments, and to do so I am going to build you a metaphor. It's going to take a bit to do so... I'm not going to throw it at you all at once... but do trust me... we will build it.

I have included the basic information about each card (as taken from my original newsletter and essays) so if you want a basic understanding of the card meanings, then I highly suggest that you read up on the basic info about each card before proceeding to the following explanation, because it will make your journey much easier here.

If on the other hand, you're an old hat with the tarot, by all means, progress...

Here is the breakdown of the Major arcana:

0- Fool (crossing card)
1- Mage (form, male)
2- High Priestess (chaos, female)
3- Emperor (form, male)
4- Empress (growth, female)
5- Heirophant (form, male)
6- Lovers (end/begin)
7- Chariot (crossing)
8- Justice (female, balance)
9- Hermit (male, motion)
10- Wheel of Fortune (center)
11- Strength (female, balance)
12- Hanged Man (male, motion-or lack of depending on view)
13- Death (end/begin)
14- Temprance (crossing)
15- Devil
16- Tower
17- Star
18- Moon
19- Sun
20- Reunion
21- World

Here's my breakdown, and I will explain in more detail in further posts

Set One: The ID

fool through to the lovers

Set Two: The EGO

the chariot to death

Set Three: The Superego

temprance to reunion

Completion of cycle:

The world

The relationships between these cards is dynamic and fascinating... and can be used to help teach many different lessons...

Foundation 2: The chakras and their relationship to the tarot.

Within each set, the 7 cards there represent the 7 chakras of the human body.

Foundation 3: Yin Yang

Within each path/experience, you can travel backwards or forwards depending on your choice of experience.

EG: from fool to lovers- western religion
from lovers to fool- eastern experience

An Introduction to the Zen Tarot

This is a FAQ and basic introduction for those of you who are interested in my current theories regarding the tarot.

The concept behind this form of tarot reading, is to remove the need to find out what will and to focus your energy and thoughts on what is around you.

Even when I propose tarot spreads in this blog, they are related to understanding now, instead of when.

The tarot can be used for many many different kinds of experiences...

The first, most common understanding of the tarot is that it is a deck of 72 cards, which consists of 5 suits representing each of the elements in pagan belief, which can be used for the purpose of "reading the future". A tarot reader will sit across from you, and let you shuffle/cut the deck while thinking about a question you would like answered about your life.
The reader will then lay the cards out in a pattern on the table (called a tarot spread), and tell you about yourself, your current story, and possible future outcomes.
Most common misinterpretation about the tarot: that damn death card from the ryder tarot comes up a lot in bad horror movies... always right before something terrible happens to a main character. Death is probably one of the most positive cards in the deck, and should never be feared. It means CHANGE.

The second way to use the tarot is for the purposes of meditation. To make a long story short, you can choose one image, or randomly draw one, depending on your own confidence in the deck you're using, and meditate on what that card means for you. This is a lot of fun, and can teach a great deal about issues in your life or things that you should be proud of.

Tarot cards can also be used for casting spells, but I'm not interested in discussing this aspect of them... if you can find a black witch to teach you how to do so, have fun... I don't work that way anymore.

Tarot cards can also be used as a means of learning and growing. There is a study related to the Kaballah, which says that the path to enlightenment is mapped out within the cards. I have studied these paths and possibilities within each card... and listened to their stories for a long time and I see the story behind the Kaballah, and also see connections to many other aspects of spiritual teaching.

There is an old legend a wicked sorceror once told me, about the cards themselves being created in egypt as a means of communication between all of the then significant ancient civlizations. Their spiritual leaders needed a way of speaking to and understanding each other so they combined their stories in these cards... as a way of teaching each other, even when they couldn't speak the same tongue.

I don't know that the story is true, but as you will see, when i study the tarot cards and talk about the connections and reflections that exist to all things, you may feel as i do, that the story may be true, or more true than we know anyway.